My profession is design but my passion is food.

Soup time with a seafood chowder…

A record cold Arctic blizzard blasting winter has been playing with us in the US. Here in NY we have had a really cold and long winter. Down to -14-15C/8F almost every time a cold spell hit us. And it has been snowing off and on all through the winter. We still have snow in the garden and now they warned for yet one more little snowfall. But this time I think it will be very minor and it will not stick to the ground.

The really strange thing is that back in Sweden, it has been a more warm winter, not too much snow & not too cold. Actually no winter at all for the longest time. Some people said they missed the winter others didn’t.

I just reminded a friend, that the good thing with a super deep freeze is that all mosquitos, tics and other horrible little creeps all dies. They have to start from scratch with their colonies.

So all is well with the deep freeze during the winter for me. But one does not have to overdo it. All over the US temperature records are broken. They said that we in NY have had the 7 coldest winter since they started keeping track of temperatures. Now that is crazy.

And all this really has made us “drink soup” as they call it in the West Indies. And lot’s of it, all through the winter.

I make sure to always have a few different kinds in the fridge & freezer, because it really is one of the best ways to defrost after being outside.

I usually make some pumpkin soup, potato & leek soup, some clear broth for noodles, my favorite simple and classic vegetable soup, corn chowder or some other soups.

But come the weekend, we do a little bit of a fancy soup or chowder.
Here is an easy seafood chowder. Super good, tasting and fragrant.

.

Seafood chowder.

Serves 4.

About 1/2 lb. of fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined.

6oz. of fresh salmon cut into 1″ cubes.

1/2 c. of finely cut leek or 4 medium shallots, chopped.

4 c. of fish stock or vegetable stock.

1- 1 1/2 c. of heavy cream (if you do not want cream use more stock).

A handful of corn kernels & shelled edamame..

1/4c. white port or good white wine.

1.8 oz-2 oz. saffron.

Fresh herbs like thyme, basil or chives as decoration.

1/2 tbs. butter for frying (you could use olive oil if you only have that).

Salt & pepper to taste.

Directions;

Start with melting the butter in a soup pot on medium heat. Fry the shallots to a translucent color. Add the saffron, corn & edamamde. Fry for a few minutes.

If the shrimp is really big, you can split them lengthwise.

Add the white port or white wine. Let boil for one more minute before you add the peeled and deveined shrimp & the salmon. Let come to a boil and add the cream and let come to a boil again and simmer for a few minutes. The seafood chowder is done when the shrimp is turning pink. You can add either salt & pepper to taste or just stick to the fresh herb that you chop up and sprinkle over the chowder. You can of course also add hot sauce if you like just as well as any other of your favorite ingredient that you feel is missing in your version of the seafood chowder.